JPK Huson 1863
Brev. Brig. Gen'l
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2012
- Location
- Central Pennsylvania
I'm never sure what and how much to post about our Mary. There's an assumption folks already know so much it's ok to begin the conversation in the middle- or the end, or pick up any of the lengthy arguments still raging about the poor thing.
Mary Lincoln remains a controversial figure due to several things, a major one being a campaign of deliberate misinformation spread with intent by a rather vile social hanger on named William Herndon. Not only did he claim a relationship which was not there, he actually earned a living traveling the country giving lectures about Mary Lincoln- unspeakable lies, and added a book to this collection of nonsense. No, will not link the ridiculous thing. Professionals who should know better still cite this as ' source' when writing of Mary Lincoln.
Another was her unpardonable sin of being born Southern, something Washington elite never forgave her, indeed much of the country. Reading more deeply this seems to blend in as excusatory, and mixes with being Lincoln's ' country bumpkin ' wife who dared enter Washington's social circles. The women were vicious, froze Mary out, Kate Chase ruled Washington society. She and her ladies made it clear Mary was not welcome. Since Mary Todd Lincoln as ' well born ' as anyone in DC this was of course ridiculous- a high society clique mass bullying. Mary had come feeling certain she would be welcomed, instead was horribly, wrenchingly lonely.
Mary was also known to engage in charitable works, and quietly, with no entourage to notice her and praise her to others later. She determinedly visited the hospitals where wounded soldiers either died or they didn't-forbidding mention of it. The soldiers leaked it in gratitude. For some reason, probably because it made them look useless, this was also somehow used against Mary. She continued to visit her boys.
Despite the uproar on her family being Southern Mary Todd Lincoln insisted her newly widowed sister come stay at her home, the White House, while grieving. Boy did she take a hit for that as did her sister, called spy and traitor and suspected in a plot to murder her brother in law. Mary persisted, in times of crisis family mattered most. During her worst times later I have never been able to figure out where hers was.
We have threads on Mary Lincoln's life. I'll bump my last one. On another Mary Todd Lincoln kick, hoping to once again have flat History win over that jerk Herndon's despicable, grubby fingerprints all the heck all over Mary Lincoln's national memory. It'll be hard to extricate the real Mary from Herndon's Mary. SO many, many books on Mary Todd Lincoln have been written by people who may not know they've used Herndon based material as a source- that one man could do that much damage to one victim is incredible.
Mary's shopping addiction was quite real, to this day it is judged, not understood. " Oh that awful Mary Lincoln, running into debt, buying dress after dress, what a terrible person. " I say, like water from a damaged dam, pain finds a way to leak out of us.
She left us images of herself, from bright and hopeful, a little spoiled, full of spirit. Maybe melancholy- a little alone in a household with a mother not hers. There's the splendid position in Washington, pain of being starkly and so, so weirdly alone there, lost children, stubborn dignity, always, always lonely- always hurt, a matron.
Am including one of the funniest faux photos to hit the internet. Abe and Mary's hysterical ' Wedding Photo '. people LOVE it- taken from 2 very well known portraits this thing is spreading faster than oil on a backside at the beach. That's fast.
Isn't she dear? Wearing a cameo!
Time, loneliness, resignation, great dress, unhappy woman
This must be Sprinfield?
Still, not a happy woman.
Mourning, and she had so much mourning.
An eching, have never been clear if somewhere existed a photo similar, now lost to Time. We have this etching, quite large, original frame. My grgrgrandmother's.
Mary Todd Lincoln, young, beautiful, poised, waiting for life to happen; not dreaming there would be anyone to mourn.
This is better! Someone got a smile from her. bet it was her husband.
Mary Todd Lincoln really was a woman of extraordinary grace and dignity. Considering how much she had to mourn this women faces life elegantly, contained, chin firm with a hint of defiance.
Almost smiling, unless it is the dignity she developed as she got older. Mary seemed to wrap it around her like one of her expensive cloaks- hid her vulnerable self and pain from a censorious world.
Mary Lincoln remains a controversial figure due to several things, a major one being a campaign of deliberate misinformation spread with intent by a rather vile social hanger on named William Herndon. Not only did he claim a relationship which was not there, he actually earned a living traveling the country giving lectures about Mary Lincoln- unspeakable lies, and added a book to this collection of nonsense. No, will not link the ridiculous thing. Professionals who should know better still cite this as ' source' when writing of Mary Lincoln.
Another was her unpardonable sin of being born Southern, something Washington elite never forgave her, indeed much of the country. Reading more deeply this seems to blend in as excusatory, and mixes with being Lincoln's ' country bumpkin ' wife who dared enter Washington's social circles. The women were vicious, froze Mary out, Kate Chase ruled Washington society. She and her ladies made it clear Mary was not welcome. Since Mary Todd Lincoln as ' well born ' as anyone in DC this was of course ridiculous- a high society clique mass bullying. Mary had come feeling certain she would be welcomed, instead was horribly, wrenchingly lonely.
Mary was also known to engage in charitable works, and quietly, with no entourage to notice her and praise her to others later. She determinedly visited the hospitals where wounded soldiers either died or they didn't-forbidding mention of it. The soldiers leaked it in gratitude. For some reason, probably because it made them look useless, this was also somehow used against Mary. She continued to visit her boys.
Despite the uproar on her family being Southern Mary Todd Lincoln insisted her newly widowed sister come stay at her home, the White House, while grieving. Boy did she take a hit for that as did her sister, called spy and traitor and suspected in a plot to murder her brother in law. Mary persisted, in times of crisis family mattered most. During her worst times later I have never been able to figure out where hers was.
We have threads on Mary Lincoln's life. I'll bump my last one. On another Mary Todd Lincoln kick, hoping to once again have flat History win over that jerk Herndon's despicable, grubby fingerprints all the heck all over Mary Lincoln's national memory. It'll be hard to extricate the real Mary from Herndon's Mary. SO many, many books on Mary Todd Lincoln have been written by people who may not know they've used Herndon based material as a source- that one man could do that much damage to one victim is incredible.
Mary's shopping addiction was quite real, to this day it is judged, not understood. " Oh that awful Mary Lincoln, running into debt, buying dress after dress, what a terrible person. " I say, like water from a damaged dam, pain finds a way to leak out of us.
She left us images of herself, from bright and hopeful, a little spoiled, full of spirit. Maybe melancholy- a little alone in a household with a mother not hers. There's the splendid position in Washington, pain of being starkly and so, so weirdly alone there, lost children, stubborn dignity, always, always lonely- always hurt, a matron.
Am including one of the funniest faux photos to hit the internet. Abe and Mary's hysterical ' Wedding Photo '. people LOVE it- taken from 2 very well known portraits this thing is spreading faster than oil on a backside at the beach. That's fast.
Isn't she dear? Wearing a cameo!
Time, loneliness, resignation, great dress, unhappy woman
This must be Sprinfield?
Still, not a happy woman.
Mourning, and she had so much mourning.
An eching, have never been clear if somewhere existed a photo similar, now lost to Time. We have this etching, quite large, original frame. My grgrgrandmother's.
Mary Todd Lincoln, young, beautiful, poised, waiting for life to happen; not dreaming there would be anyone to mourn.
This is better! Someone got a smile from her. bet it was her husband.
Mary Todd Lincoln really was a woman of extraordinary grace and dignity. Considering how much she had to mourn this women faces life elegantly, contained, chin firm with a hint of defiance.
Almost smiling, unless it is the dignity she developed as she got older. Mary seemed to wrap it around her like one of her expensive cloaks- hid her vulnerable self and pain from a censorious world.